Minister of Natural Resources Clarifies $6.9 Million Belmopan Hospital Land Deal

The news coverage of the land acquired by government for the new Belmopan Hospital continues tonight with the Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, giving an in-depth explanation into the rationale for the change in location.  The explanation is a bit long, but it does cover how the six point nine million dollar cost price came about and the negotiation process with the sellers Annie Zhu and Kenny Zheng.  

 Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister: “The Ministry of Health went to Cabinet some months ago and made a compelling case to say that where we were proposing to put the hospital on UB land was not the most ideal, was really not workable for them pointing out that the location was nine kilometers from the road side which was six miles that you had to build a road, that getting there would have required going through a circuitus nature, I don’t know what that means but ultimately they didn’t have water, didn’t have light, didn’t have internet, all those kinds of infrastructure would have to go in there and you’re talking about virgin territory you’re not taking about existing road or dirt road or anything like that and so that would have represented an undue burden also for workers, for staff and for people who need to access the hospital. So Cabinet was convinced that ultimately the professionals, the technocrats at the Ministry of Health were the right ones to determine which location is best for them. And so we left that in their hands. They then approached the Ministry of Natural Resources technocrats to check to see what is available in that particular location which is to say between the Hector Silva Airstrip and Guanacaste Park. Why ? Because the technocrats at Ministry of Health deem that to be the primary nexus, the best meeting point, best middle ground for patients coming from the west, patients coming from the far south. And so they came to us, our technocrats did research, presented to them that one there is no government land there and two that you have about six private parcels there two of them have erections on them the other two are someways off the road and there were two owned by one owner that was roadside. The Ministry of Health people indicate that that’s the land they wanted, that was ideally what they were envisioning and so negotiation ensued. The private land owners got their valuation which came in at $9.3 million dollars you’d say that’s kinda high for 15 acres of land but the valuers for their part argued that in 2020 a lot for $100,000 was sold for $100,000 just nearby and that they were in the process of finalizing a subdivision of those fifteen acres into lots and commercial properties to try and slate that into income. And so based on that they came up with this $9.3 million. Government valuer can up with $6.2 million. You’d wonder how two valuers look at the same land and come up with varying value but our value for the government made a bunch of deductions. He conceded that yes land was selling in that area as long ago as 4 years ago for $100,000 a lot and in fact it was increasing incrementally because in 2018 lots were being sold there, people were buying lots there for $65,000 and then in 2019 they were buying for $75,000 and then in 2020 lots were sold there for $100,000. So based on that they came up with the high figure that they came but the valuer for the government made some deductions based on roads and survey costs and all that kind of stuff and so it ended up being $6.2 on the government side $9.3 on their side and negotiation ensued between attorneys for the government, attorneys for the private land owners and that’s how we ended up at $6.9 million dollars.”

Aside from the change in location and the acquisition of the land, there were also issues arising over reports that the new facility would be built in a flood prone area and that it would be hampered by a nearby sewer system.  Minister Hyde told the media that these matters were addressed and that assurances were given by the technocrats regarding these factors.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister: “The technocrats in our ministry felt that that particular parcel of land or parcels of land is elevated as compared to the areas that are nearby that’s low-lying and prone to flooding so they felt like that particular area wouldn’t be susceptible to that kind of flooding. The truth of the matter is that entire country is flood prone. I mean we’re living in 2024 and with climate change and all that has happened in this country there is no perfect location. You have a very serious rainfall or you have a very serious weather you’re gonna have flooding. As it relates to the bridge that’s a serious matter. I don’t forget about the new hospital we’re talking about not having access to Belmopan, not having access to the entire Cayo district if you are coming from the city forget the hospital. So it’s incumbent on government to figure out a way to get that bridge in the shortest possible time. Not just because of the hospital but because of what it means in terms of access to the entire western part of the country in the event of a very serous calamity.”

Reporter: How will you manage the sewage ponds in the same area so close to a hospital ? 

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister: “Well the technocrats say that it is located like five acres away from the proposed hospital site to be precise 4.8 acres that is some distance versus the fact that you have very nice houses from Cohune Walk and those areas that’s located 200 feet from the sewage pond very very close to it. So that’s something that they have t manage but I’m not expert and I guess the experts will have to determine that for us whether five acres is space enough between a sewage lagoon and that kind of development. Our technocrats believe it is but you know.”